  
|
|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Walking Toward Mental Health
By: Gurprit S. Lamba, M.D., Clinical Psychiatry News Digital Network
Submitting your vote...
"It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor." –– Marcus Tillius Cicero
Every year, the multibillion dollar health and fitness industries go into high gear, pushing consumers to start eating healthfully, losing weight, and getting great physical workouts.
As we help our patients process these messages, we must remember that the oldest and safest mode of exercise is simple and inexpensive: walking. And as Cicero suggested so many years ago, physical activity is key to mental vitality.
For example, a literature review of 29 randomized controlled trials found that aerobic exercise training has substantial benefits for neurocognitive performance, particularly aspects of attention and processing speed, executive function, and memory (Psychosom. Med. 2010;72:239-52). In addition, a study using male college students either running on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike for 50 minutes at 70%-80% of maximum heart rate found that exercise of moderate activity activates the endocannabinoid system, leading to exercise-induced analgesia (Neuroreport 2003;14:2209-11).
And in yet another study, researchers used a microarray to identify a profile of exercise-regulated genes in the mouse hippocampus. They found that exercise upregulates a neurotrophic factor signaling cascade that has been involved in the actions of antidepressants (Nat. Med. 2007;13:1476-82). Physical exercise keeps the brain active. A randomized controlled study of male patients with chronic schizophrenia and matched healthy subjects found that hippocampal volume is plastic in response to aerobic exercise (Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 2010;67:133-43).
At least two recently published studies corroborate these correlations between physical activity and mental health. A group of Norwegian investigators, for example, examined the associations between frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity, and physical and mental health among 4,500 adults ranging in age from 19 to 91 (Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2010 Dec. 1 [Epub ahead of print]). Fifty-six percent of the participants were females, and 40% were less active than recommended by international guidelines.
The investigators analyzed the participants’ health related quality of life measured by the Short Form–8 Health Survey. Frequency and duration were assessed by items validated in HUNT (the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study), and intensity was measured by the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion scale. The findings? Exercise at any level is associated with better physical and mental health in both genders – particularly among older people.
Another compelling study looked at the connection between physical activity and mental health among undergraduate students in the United Kingdom. In this study, 100 undergraduates completed questionnaires measuring their levels of anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and their physical activity levels using the Physical Activity Questionnaire. "Significant differences were observed between the low, medium, and high exercise groups on the mental health scales, indicating better mental health for those who engage in more exercise," the investigators wrote (J. Ment. Health 2010;19:492-9).
Finally, the American Psychiatric Association’s recently updated practice guidelines for treating patients with major depressive disorder point out the benefits of exercise in improving the symptoms of mood disorders (doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890423387.654001).
> more Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease articles
Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease RSS
Interested in being notified of new Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease news?
Click here to view our Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease RSS Feed.
| May 24 - 27 Chicago, IL | Association for Psychological Science (APS): Annual Convention |
| May 29 - Jun 1 Phoenix, AZ | National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) |
| Jun 3 - 7 Stockholm, | Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum (CINP): World Congress |
| Jun 5 - 10 Kona, HI | International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS): Annual Meeting |
| Jun 12 - 17 Chicago, IL | American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA): 101st Annual Meeting |
| Jun 18 - 26 Rapid City, SD | Reclaiming Youth International: 19th Annual Black Hills Seminars |
| Jun 23 - 27 San Francisco, CA | Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA): Annual Scientific Conference |
| Jul 10 - 13 Liverpool, | Royal College of Psychiatrists: Annual Meeting |
| Jul 21 - 28 Dpart Venice, | Primary Care: Mental Health Issues with a Focus on Drugs and Behavior |
| Jul 21 - 25 Paris, | International Association for Child & Adolescent Psych & Allied Professions (IACAPAP): World Congress |